Speed of Change
by Seph's Madisen Moss
Summary: It was a blessing, a life, a dream, a tool, and a weapon. It was change. The gift of speed from four speedsters and how they used it.


**Wally West** once saw his speed as a gift, something wonderful, something he had earned. It led him to friends, his best friends and brothers, to his future girlfriend, a closer relationship with his extended family, a new life even, one filled with exhileration and gratitude. It was a blessing and he intended to live it as such.

But then the veil wore off and all he could see were the dangers of the life, the secrets it held, the threats it posed. It was something that could take his friends, his brothers, his family, the girl he loved, away. It was something that drew out life and shortened it all out. Something to quicken it and something to change it to quicksand. It became a curse.

And then his idiocy wore off and he saw his life for what it was. It was something that was only an extreme version of anything. It gave him his future wife, it took her away for a while. It gave him family and he left through bitterness. It gave him brothers and he lost them through anger and blame and ignorance. It gave him friends he lost to change. It was something that he always should have recognized for what it was.

So at the end of the day, Wally West saw his speed as just another aspect of life.

**Barry Allen **once saw his gift as a tool, something to be used to help others, to use for the good fight. It was something that could help him to keep others from harm and he wielded it generously, holding back very little.

And then he went too fast and saw his gift as Uncontrollable. It was something that could be used to help him help others or turn on him and destroy him. It was dangerous, but he came into this life knowing the risks, he wouldn't lose his happiness or change his mind because of it. So he continued going through his slowed life and remaining optimistic for every lengthened second.

And when Barry wasn't quite fast enough, he saw his speed as a temporary blessing. To other people his life was not long but to him he'd lived for centuries and each of those centuries were happy ones.

So Barry Allen saw his speed as a tool.

**Jay Garrick **once saw his speed as something to bring someone's fairytale to life, to fill his own dreams. 'You know,' He'd say, 'Go through, so fast you shine, save the girl, run into the sunset'. He'd work to save his city and catch the criminals, because they were so _slow _and he wasn't.

And then he saw it as a burden, it weighed him down and he could only experiment, nobody was there to teach him, nobody could. The dreams were heavy, but he had always kept his word. And it was what he wanted after all.

But then he met Joan and he had a new dream. And then his speed became a blessing, something that granted forever until their forever. Time dragged on and he was with the girl of his dreams.

So Jay Garrick saw his speed as a blessing.

**Bart Allen **once saw his speed as a game. It was something that he could use to play pranks on others and made everyone else seem so slow. He could catch everything and go faster than anyone. It was something that caused no end to his fun.

And then the world changed, the plants died, people were just… gone, and the thing that had provided years of entertainment changed into something he could use to keep alive where his family had failed, where the heroes had failed. It was how he survived in a dying world.

But then he went back, to a past where the plants were vibrant hues, heroes stood strong, families were whole, the skies were clear blues, and the land untainted by destruction. And then his speed was something he used to prevent, to keep everyone alive and real and so very _there. _And he would change the world, even if it was on his own, even if no one could ever know.

And so Bart Allen saw his speed as change.

**I know Bart has only been in one episode, but somehow he has made it to my top three in that time. And then I saw some videos on YouTube, (which I would highly recommend), '****bart allen | if you've got an impulse, let it out', 'Trust Me [Impulse] [Young Justice] [30 Word Challenge - Trust]', 'Better Run, Better Run; {Bloodlines}', 'Bart Allen : I'm Still Here', and finally 'The Ballad of The Flashes' and I was really hooked. In all honestly, the speedsters never held all that much interest for me until now. But yes, this occurred to me and I decided to go with it. I hope you liked it, please review and tell me what you thought and thank you for reading,**

**SMM**


End file.
